chris coons and karen bass of california. thank you both for joining us. >> thank you, tamron. >> absolutely. senator, on your trip, you were quoted saying the u.s. likely to eventually resume direct support of mali's military but only after democracy through elections. you have americans wondering why to supply direct military support and why was it so important to go there? >> it was responsibility for the delegation to go there to meet with the american ambassador and meet with the military commanders who are both leading the multilateral african force. we met with the major general of nigeria and with the minister of defense from mali and his leadership. and with the french military commander and to get a briefing from our own diplomatic and intelligence community about the situation on the ground and to have a chance to question the french, the malian and military commanders about how they saw the path forward. we had a chance to meet with some of the folks who fled from the north and seeking shelter in the south and to hear from them personally about what circumstances w